DNA damage and biochemical toxicity of antibiotics in soil on the earthworm Eisenia fetida

► A clearly positive dose-response relationship could be observed between OTM value and the contaminant dose. ► CTC induced higher DNA damage than TC in short time and then to the same level as TC overtime. ► The two antibiotics also caused the activity change of SOD and CAT in earthworms. ► The activity change followed a tendency of inducement, inhibition and inducement again with an increase dose. ► High activity of SOD or CAT could better protect against oxidative radicals, but they responded at high doses.